A half-dozen cool things in music, from two points of view:
6 cool things in music this week include Robbie Robertson, Indigo Girls and Pizza Lucé Block Party
Shoutouts, too, to "Jagged Little Pill," Lake Harriet Band Shell and Holly Humberstone.
Allison O'Toole of Minneapolis:
1 Concerts at the Lake Harriet Band Shell. From the Minneapolis Pops Orchestra in July to the Jayhawks in mid-August, you can't beat this setting for great local music — and you can't beat the beer and popcorn.
2 Pizza Lucé Block Party. Back after a hiatus, this Warehouse District music fest on Saturday will feature so many great acts including Morris Day & the Time. I'm a child of the '80s.
3 Holly Humberstone, "I Would Die 4 U." Her version of the "Purple Rain" tune was featured on the Apple TV Plus series "Shrinking." I'm a Prince devotee and love the remakes.
Jon Bream, Star Tribune critic:
1 RIP Robbie Robertson. The leader of the Band, the Americana-defining Canadian-American ensemble, was a brilliant songwriter and expressive guitarist who created stories filled with indelible characters. His storytelling was cinematic, which is why he became an ideal soundtrack partner for Martin Scorsese's many movies including "Raging Bull," "The King of Comedy" and "The Wolf of Wall Street."
2 Indigo Girls perform "Country Radio" at Hilde Performance Center. While Jason Aldean's controversial pro-gun, don't-mess-with-us "Try That in a Small Town" was sitting at No. 1 on the country and pop charts, it was refreshing to hear a different take on small town attitudes as Emily Saliers and Amy Ray, on a peaceful night in Plymouth, sang: "I'm just a gay kid in a small town who loves country radio."
3 "Jagged Little Pill," Orpheum Theatre. The Alanis Morissette musical is filled with clichéd storylines, LOL humor and her potent, emotive songs, which don't always connect with the action but they are delivered with rock 'n' roll verve, especially by Heidi Blickenstaff as Mary Jane and Lauren Chanel as Frankie.
to contribute: popmusic@startribune.com
Highlights for Sept. 26-Oct. 2 include PJ Harvey, ELO, Cowboy Junkies, Jimmy Webb, Morris Day & the Time, the Family Stone and Rainbow Kitten Surprise.